Why Michael Bloomberg should(n't) run

Why Michael Bloomberg should(n't) run

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In 1997, Michael Bloomberg published “Bloomberg by Bloomberg.” Starting with his dismissal from a top Wall Street firm in 1981, it chronicles how he launched Bloomberg LP and built it into a hugely successful company. The book was reissued in 2001, when he was mounting a bid for New York City mayor as a Republican.

By the time Bloomberg left City Hall at the end of 2013, he had established a profile as a politician that rivaled his reputation as a billionaire entrepreneur. As he gears up for a presidential run in 2020, now as a Democrat, an updated version of “Bloomberg by Bloomberg” is set to come out next month. It presumably will offer a positive spin on his 12 years running the city, much like the original book was a celebration of – and sales pitch for – his company.

Of course, Bloomberg isn’t the only one telling his story. One recurring theme is the difficulties the ex-Republican will face in winning over a Democratic base that has shifted further to the left since he was in office. City & State looks at the former mayor from another angle: Based on his time at City Hall, would he actually be a good president?

Can Michael Bloomberg save the planet?

Lying in bed in the dead of night, gripped by anxiety because our president is unmoored, it seems almost impossible to contemplate another four years under this president. The dangers and obscenities flowing from the White House each day have triggered a state of panic among Democrats, and more than a few Republicans. What if flipping the House isn’t enough? What if this kamikaze presidency is extended past 2020?

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As founder and research director of the Empire Center for Public Policy, E.J. McMahon is a go-to expert on budget plans and policy proposals. His organization promotes greater transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility in state government, which often puts him at odds with lawmakers and the governor. McMahon previously worked as a journalist in Albany, as an Assembly Republican staffer and a budget adviser for almost 30 years, giving him great insight into the goings-on in the Capitol.